MechChem Africa March-April 2024

Waste management strategies and ESG Neil Brink, the Waste Management compliance manager for Enviroserv, presents the positive arguments for embedding ESG practices into waste management.

The circular economy sees a reduction in waste by reintroducing materials back into the production cycle.

I n today’s business environment, companies cannot succeed without embedding envi ronmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices into their businesses. Part of this roadmap towards sustainability must include effective waste management. The thinking behind ESG is that it will allow investors to pursue ethical and financial gains, at least in the long term. Furthermore, The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12, calls on organisations to use natural resources effi ciently, implement environmentally sound waste management, and prevent and reduce waste through reuse and recycling. Environmental factors The environmental pillar of the ESG frame work looks at an organisation’s impact on the environment – the company’s carbon footprint, resource management, and environmental sustainability. How a company manages its waste falls under this pillar, says EnviroServ Waste Management’s compliance manager Neil Brink. “Is there a waste management strategy in place supporting the waste hierarchy that prioritises waste prevention, fol lowed by waste reduction, reuse, recycling, recovery and, as a last option, disposal to landfill? Businesses need to abide by the country’s National Waste Management Strategy and a responsible waste management provider, who walks you through the prevailing legislation,

Good measurement and reporting practices mean better business EnviroServ’s reporting and management tools help companies understand and monitor their waste, allowing them to effectively respond to changesandimplementnewsolutionsasrequired. These metrics can include total weight of non hazardous waste diverted from disposal, hazard ouswastedirectedtodisposal,andnon-hazardous waste directed to disposal, with a breakdown in composition of waste. “Better measurement and reporting prac tices will help your company prevent waste at its source,” Brink concludes. “The sooner companies realise the growing importance of ESG reporting, the better for their sustainability and the bottom line.” www.enviroserv.co.za

is essential for compliance,” says Brink.

Waste management can be productive The circular economy sees a reduction in waste by reintroducing materials back into the production cycle. In a circular system, manufacturers design products to be reus able, such as electrical devices that are easier to repair. “By becoming part of the circular econo my, your organisation gives a clear indication that it is on a path towards more robust ESG indicators,” Brink argues, adding that integrating ESG factors with circular economy principles in the financial domain presents a rosier picture, envisioning a future where economic benefits are not achieved at the expense of the planet or society.

32 ¦ MechChem Africa • September-October 2020